Annette V Hart's Blog: The ramblings of Annette Hart, page 8

Last minute nerves...

My publishers have gone quiet on me while I wait to hear my publication date. They said April and now I'm fighting the irrational, rising panic that something's gone wrong. Between various, imaginative disaster scenarios I have to remind myself that this happened last time too.

I did have a waking nightmare, (before I got to sleep - and then stopping me for ages), in which I suddenly 'remembered' that one of my illustrations had been wrong and other places of text had not been corrected. It took repeated reminders from my husband about precisely how many times I had read through the manuscript to calm me.

In need of direction!

With publication of one book imminent, Iwant to get writing again but I'm not sure which direction to take - and so I'm dithering and doing nothing! If The Keystone takes off I need to reread/rewrite the sequel I've already written. While I could leave my Athlandia series at #3, Love and Restitution, I have written a possible #4 and half written a #5. I also have 2 completely different adult stories running around my head; should I concentrate on these, hoping for success?

All gone quiet...

I've signed off the final manuscript and agreed the latest cover... now everything has gone very quiet while I wait for the publication date. I'm twiddling my thumbs, wondering if I should start something new while wanting to begin PR for this new book but actually doing neither!

Cover news...

I have seen a mock-up of my cover for "Love and Restitution" and really like it - much more than the other two in the series. Maybe one day I will be able to change them to fit in with this, more photographic, one. So hopefully, with just one or two minor changes, we're ready for an April publication!

Last minute panic!

OK I admit it: I definitely prevaricated over my final read through of "Love and Restitution". I was reluctant to relinquish responsibility of this baby. I've just had 1 or 2 final glitches to iron out and now I'm in a panic: are there other typos and mistakes I've missed? My husband tries to reassure me (while prising my fingers from around the tightly clutched manuscript) that all books have some little errors but, of course, I want mine to be perfect.

Now my baby has moved on; I can only hope for the best!

Published my baby...

Oh boy! I can't believe I haven't posted since my book, "The Keystone", was released on the 22nd February! Especially as this was 'my baby' - my first proper, complete story. When I told my mum it was being published as an ebook she was very pleased, saying she had thought this one was good. I'm just delighted it - and my characters - are getting a chance to breathe, particularly when they were born out of my love for Arthurian legends.

A lull in activity...

Although I have two books in production, everything is very quiet at the moment. Last week I sent back the edited manuscript for "The Keystone" - well, emailed it. Digital publishing is still strange to me! And we've agreed a possible publication date of the 22nd of February. But this week has been very quiet. (Excepting my children squabbling over half-term, of course!) I should look over the second book in this series which I wrote many years ago and see if it is any good.

I'm still eagerly waiting a glimpse of the cover of the third book in my Athlandia series "Love and Restitution".

The Keystone

Cover design excitement...

I've just received the cover design for my latest e-book (The Keystone) and I'm very excited! I love it and my children love it too: imaginative, atmospheric, intriguing.

Still prevaricating?

What with Christmas, the New Year and birthdays, I've had little time to get on with my proofreading. However, with the holiday debris swept away and the children back at school, I should now be able to find time to get on with it!

Assessing the first proof... what I should be doing!

The first proof of "Love and Restitution" has been returned, edited, and what I should be doing is reading through, assessing the editor's comments and making changes/additions myself. However, Xmas is looming large so shopping, wrapping, cleaning and cooking has taken priority - that Xmas cake doesn't ice itself! However, I don't think the publishers will expect it back now until after Xmas so I am sure I can squeeze a little bit of time to myself during the holiday to read through the proofs.